Seattle Ballard Locks Tour: Maritime History Exploration
4.6
11 Ratings
Seattle
Discover the fascinating maritime history of Seattle on a tour of the Ballard Locks. Watch boats lock through, observe Great Blue Herons and baby salmon, and explore Gas Works Park and the houseboat communities along Lake Union.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Hiram M. Chittenden Locks - We will explore the Locks and learn how they work, and watch ships “lock through”. We will learn about their role in maintaining the level of Lake Washington and how they transformed Seattle’s maritime industry. We will look for smolts (baby salmon) on the spillway heading out to sea and adult salmon coming back through the fish ladder. The resident harbor seals and herons are fat and happy this time of year!
- Gas Works Park - This one of a kind park was an inspired creation that took a heavy industrial site and transformed it into one of Seattle’s favorite parks, with fabulous views across Lake Union to downtown and the Space Needle! Along the way we will learn the history of this iconic piece of old Seattle that still survives.
On our way back downtown, we will cruise by the houseboat community along Lake Union, a uniquely Seattle experience!
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Tea and coffee
Additional Information
Join us as we delve into one of the nation’s most frequented lock systems, the Hiram Chittenden Locks! This tour, both on foot and by car, allows us to observe vessels navigating through the locks and explore their workings. During the latter part of spring, we have the opportunity to visit the city’s biggest colony of Great Blue Heron to observe and listen to the chicks, along with watching baby salmon, or smolts, journey towards the ocean. From the middle of June until September, we can observe mature salmon returning to traverse the fish ladder as they journey back to their spawning sites. We’ll gain insights into the transformative impact of this key maritime element on Seattle, along its pivotal role in freshwater lake management. Next, we head on to Gas Works, a unique park offering learning opportunities, views of float planes taking off and landing, along with breathtaking cityscapes. We conclude our tour with a visit to the houseboat communities on Lake Union, an experience that is quintessentially Seattle! For a personalized experience of this tour for 1 to 4 individuals, please reach out via call or text.
Location
Macrina Bakery & Cafe
1st Avenue
Look for me inside the bakery with a Seattle Under the Radar Tours sign. Street parking around the meet up spot is limited to 2 hours (the tour is 3 hours) and nearby garages and lots are very expensive. Consider taking a Lyft/Uber/Taxi or public transit if possible.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(11 Ratings)
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Trail12326243922
Dec 10, 2023
Excellent small group tour in Seattle!!! - Lynn was AMAZING! This was the best small group tour we have ever booked. Lynn was extremely friendly, accomdating & knowledgeable. She also recommend 2 excellent restaurants. We ended up eating at & enjoying both restaurants during our vacation. I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mtdc1953
Nov 17, 2023
Argosy Ballard Locks cruise was so much fun! - This boat ride by Argosy Cruises was excellent! We left from Lake Union and our narrator and all around deck hand gave us some very interesting narrations during our 2-hour trip. We went through the Ballard Locks, which was the main reason we chose this tour over the 1 hour bay tour. We then set out into the Puget Sound and ended at Pier 54. We were within walking distance to Pike's Market. We loved it and it was a good way to catch up with family in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dbl41
Aug 14, 2023
You MUST do this tour!!!!! - My husband and I had done most “common” Seattle sights! The tour company owner and tour director had so many “off the radar” things to show us. We saw things we didn’t even know existed. Everything was enjoyable and we especially enjoyed Lynn’s knowledge of the area and her recommendations for things to do on the remainder of our trip. When we return to the Seattle area, we will definitely contact Lynn again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisamd6036ng
May 16, 2023
Like no other tour I've ever been on. So much information, so much fun. Highly recommended. - I am so glad we booked this tour, I learned so much about Seattle and saw many beautiful sights that I was not aware of. Lynn is an excellent guide. She is friendly and very knowledgeable.
It's obvious that she loves her job. Wish we could have spent the whole day exploring this beautiful city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Debbie_r
Jun 20, 2022
Love our day - Great tour. Lynne is wonderful , and we loved our day. I recommend this experience.
The Ballard Locks were awesome
Review provided by Viator
Mahesh_h
Jun 10, 2022
Awesome tour - This tour was awesome and educational. The tour covered lots of beautiful places of Seattle. Lynn was amazing guide! She explained the concept of Locks very clearly. She went above and beyond and extended the time to cover all the mentioned places. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Stantoninaz
Aug 5, 2021
Best tour of our week! - Don’t hesitate! Do this tour. Our favorite of the week! We’ve been on several different tours over the last week and Lynn was by far the best tour guide we’ve had. She was well versed in the area and goes at a great pace. She was attentive to our questions and had so much helpful and interesting information. She was patient with my mother who has a disability and my daughter who wanted to spend some extra time at the playground at Gas Works Park. Her car was spotless and she was respectful of our wishes regarding Covid mitigation. Most of all she made the tour fun for US! She is enthusiastic and makes you feel special. Thanks Lynn for a great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_z
Jul 25, 2021
Educational. - The Seattle Ballard locks tour was so interesting. Lynn explained in detail how the locks work and the history of how they came to be. We saw the salmon climbing the ladders to continue on their journey. We learned all about the salmon and their long road they must take to lay their eggs. We had some great coffee to. This tour was so educational and fun.
Review provided by Viator
Bulmasan
Nov 12, 2019
Interesting and fun tour! - This was a fun tour that included not only the Ballard Locks, Gas Works Park, and Union Lake's houseboats, but a glimpse of native America artifacts at Ivar's and seaplanes landing (and docking) on the lake. Great time with a knowledgeable guide who is willing to tailor the experience to the tour group. Recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sheila_c
Apr 28, 2023
Don’t Use this Tour And/or Operator - The tour guide confirmed at 9:30am and canceled the tour at 11am doe to personal reasons, however, there should ALWAYS be a BACKUP plan. Tourist are on limited time. With so many options to chose from this was not acceptable .
Review provided by Viator
